Snap fastener members in strip form



Original Filed 001:. 21, 1958 April 2, 1963 N. M. BARLOW ETAL 3,083,429

SNAP FASTENER MEMBERS IN STRIP FORM 2 Sheets-Sheet l \NVENTORS: NORMAN M. BARLow. EVERETT MELANsQN,

ATTORNEY April 1963 N. M. BARLOW ETAL 3,083,429

SNAP FASTENER MEMBERS IN STRIP FORM Original Filed Oct. 21, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 6.

\NVENTORS BY lfv? ATTOR NEY.

United States Patent 6 SNAP FASTENER MEMBERS IN STRIP FORM Norman M. Barlow, Natick, and Everett-MelansomWakefield, Mass, assignorsto United-Carr Fastener Corporation, Qarnbridge, Mass, a corporation of Delaware Original application Oct. 21, 1958, Ser. No. 768,760, new

Patent No. 3,049,462, dated- Aug. 14, 1962. Divided and: this application Dec. 9, 1959, Ser; No. 858,419

The present invention relates to stud and socket fastener elements, and more particularly to new and improved stud and socket fastener elements in strip form;

This application is a division ofou'r application Serial No. 768,760, filed October 21', 1958-, now- Patent N'o 3,049,462.

The present invention is concerned with the problem of attaclimg sn'ap fasteners previously formed from plastic, such as, for example, vinyl plastic; to various supporting articles, preferably by heatsealing methods. The present invention contributes to the solution of such problem by the provision of a strip of such snap fastener components, either in the form of a strip of stud elements' or a strip of socket elements, united to one another in edge to edge contact. The strip of snap fastener components is preferably made of heat sealable plastic materials.-

A principal object. of. the present invention is the provision of a strip of fastener elements which may be fed to a suitable fastening apparatus operable to separate the fasteners and then heat seal them to a suitable supporting material.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of snap fastener elements, preferably made of plastic, as individual units, e.g., studs and sockets, the individual stud units or socket units being then united in strip form.

The snap fastener components in strip form may be fed to a fastening or attaching apparatus where the fastener elements are separated, one or more at a time, from the strip and applied to the supporting structure. A new and simple form of such apparatus is set forth in detail in our above-mentioned copending application Serial No. 768,760, filed October 21, 1958, of which the instant application is a division.

The invention resides in the novel features and combinations hereinafter set forth, and is more particularly defined in the accompanying claims.

In the accompanying drawings of an illustrative embodiment of the invention:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a portion of a strip of snap fastener studs made in accordance with the present invention as viewed from the base side.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the strip of snap fastener studs shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a plan view from the flange side of a portion of a strip of snap fastener socket members made in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of a fastener socket strip shown in FIG. 3, with one socket shown in section.

FIG. 5 is a schematic side view of apparatus that may be used in assembling the snap fastener members in strip form.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view in side elevation showing another form of apparatus that may be used for assembly of the fasteners into strip form, which thereafter may be fed directly to an apparatus for attaching the fastener elements to a supporting member.

Referring now to the drawings, and with particular reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the strip of snap fastener components, generally designated by reference numeral 10, is illustrated therein in the form of a strip of snap fas- 3,083,429 Patented Apr. 2, 1963 tener stu'd elements 11-. The stud elements 11 each includes a stud portion 12. having an enlarged head portion at one end, with the opposite end thereof being secured centrally to the top surface of a flange portion 13. The flange'portion 13 has, as illustrated, its oppositeface generally flat, forming a substantially flatund'ersurface which will bein' heat sealintgengagement with the surface of the support to which the snap fastener stud 11'. is to be secured.v The flange portion: 13 of each of. the stud elements' 11' are secured together in edge to edge contact by a heat sealing operationtoform the strip 10' of snap-fastener stud elements 1 1'. In the. heat sealing'of the flange portions 13 to one another in edge't'oedge relationship; a severable connecting portion 14: of. awidth lessthan the width of the flange portions 13 is formed therebetween.

Referring now to FIGS.- 3* and 4, the'stripof snap=fastener components, generally designated by reference numeral 15:, illustrated therein is shown in the form ofa strip of snap" fastener socket elements 16. Each of the socket elements 16' includes a cavity or opening of asize sufficient to accommodate the head of a complementary sn'a'p fastener stud, with the other end of the socket elements 16 opposite the stud. receiving opening beingcerrtraliy connected to-cne face of a flange" portion 17. The opposite face of theflange'portion 17 is substantially flat, forminga substantially flat undersurface for sealing of the socket element. 116 to the desired support. The flange portions 1'7 are secured to one another in edge toedge contact by a heat sealed engagement to form the continuous strip in the same manner as with respect to the snap fastener stud flange portions 13 hereinbefore described. Similarly, the heat scaling of the flange portions 17 of the socket elements 16 results in a narrow, severable connecting portion 18 of less width than the width of the flange portions 17, being formed between the flange portions of the respective socket elements 16.

Our improved methods of making the fastener strips and supplying the fasteners to the attaching apparatus are best shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. In the ensuing description relating to such methods, reference will be had only to the formation of a strip of fastener studs 11. However, it is to be clearly understood that such description will be equally applicable with the formation of a strip of fastener socket elements 16.

In FIG. 5, we have shown, in a schematic manner, a method which includes providing a hopper 20' into which individual snap fastener studs 11 (as shown) or socket elements 16 are placed and suitably fed down a track 21 to heat sealing electrodes 22 and 23. Any suitable means may be used to operate the electrodes for the heat sealing operation, as by an air cylinder 24 and a high frequency generator 25. As the studs 11 pass through the heat sealing electrodes, their flange portions 13 are in edge to edge contact and the electrodes are shaped to heat seal the edges together and form connections 14, as best shown in FIG. 1. Two or more stud flange portions 13 may be sealed in each operation of the electrodes, and they may be sealed as a continuing or intermittent operation, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. Thereafter the continuous strip of fastener studs 11 is fed through rollers 26 to a driven reel 27, as illustrated.

If desirable, the mechanism for feeding and heat sealing the fastener studs in edge to edge contact may be associated directly with the apparatus described in detail in our above-mentioned application Serial No. 768,760, filed October 21, 1958, with the strip of fastener studs 11 fed directly to the rotor 28 (or rotors), as shown by FIG. 6. Thus, we have provided new, useful and simple methods and mechanisms for assembling the fastener members into strips and then feeding these strips to apparatus that will separate them and attach them to suitengagement with the surface of an article and a snap fastener portion extending from the opposite surface thereof, each of said components being united to another in substantially edge to edge contact by a severable heat sealed attaching portion of less width than said flange portions heat sealed to adjacent flange portions of said components.

2. A strip of plastic snap fastener components of the class described for use in automatic snap fastener component applying and sealing equipment wherein each fastener component is individually severed and sealed automatically to an article from the continuous strip, comprising a series of plastic snap fastener components, each of said components having a thin, heat scalable plastic flange portion having'a substantially flat undersurface for heat sealing engagement with the surface of an article and a plastic snap fastener portion extending from the opposite surface thereof, each of said components being united to another in substantially edge to edge contact by a severable plastic heat sealed attaching portion of less width than said flange portions heat sealed to adjacent flange portions of said components.

3. A strip of snap fastener components in accordance with claim 1, wherein the snap fastener component is a snap fastener stud.

4. A strip of snap fastener components in accordance with claim 1, wherein the snap fastener component is a snap fastener socket.

5. A strip of snap fastener components of the class described for use in automatic snap fastener component applying andsealing equipment wherein each fastener component is individually severed and sealed automatically to an article from the continuous strip, comprising a series of snap fastener components, each of said components having a thin, heat scalable plastic flange portion having a substantially flat undersurface for heat sealing engagement with the surface of an article and a snap fastener portion extending from the opposite surface thereof, each of said components being united to another in substantially edge to edge contact by a severable attaching portion of less Width than said flange portions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,310,119 Harper July 15, 1919 2,132,296 Hill Oct. 4, 1938 2,379,934 Seiferth July 10, 1945 2,740,964 Derby et al Apr. 10, 1956 2,851,756 Jones Sept. 16, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 22,396 Great Britain of 1911 679,373 Great Britain Sept. 17, 1952 

5. A STRIP OF SNAP FASTENER COMPONENTS OF THE CLASS DESCRIBED FOR USE IN AUTOMATIC SNAP FASTENER COMPONENT APPLYING AND SEALING EQUIPMENT WHEREIN EACH FASTENER COMPONENT IS INDIVIDUALLY SERVERED AND SEALED AUTOMATICALLY TO AN ARTICLE FROM THE CONTINUOUS STRIP, COMPRISING A SERIES OF SNAP FASTENER COMPONENTS, EACH OF SAID COMPONENTS HAVING A THIN, HEAT SEALABLE PLASTIC FLANGE PORTION HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT UNDERSURFACE FOR HEAT SEALING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE SURFACE OF AN ARTICLE AND A SNAP FASTENER PORTION EXTENDING FROM THE OPPOSITE SURFACE THEREOF, EACH OF SAID COMPONENTS BEING UNITED TO ANOTHER IN SUBSTANTIALLY EDGE TO EDGE CONTACT BY A SEVERABLE ATTACHING PORTION OF LESS WIDTH THAN SAID FLANGE PORTIONS. 